INTRODUCTION. 
[Prior Discoveries. 
From the latitude of the high land., Mr. Bass considered it to be 
that seen by captain Furneaux (or supposed to have been seen), in 
39°; and consequently, that he had traced the unknown space be- 
tween Point Hicks and Furneaux s Land. His course was now steered 
to pass round this land ; but on coming abreast of the rocky islets, 
a hummock appeared above the horizon in the S. E. by S., and pre- 
sently, a larger one at S. \ W. ; and being unable to fetch the first, 
he steered for the latter, which proved to be an island ; and at six in 
the evening, he anchored under its lee. Vast numbers of gulls and 
other birds were roosting upon it, and on the rocks were many 
seals ; but the surf Would not admit of landing. This island was 
judged to be thirty miles, S. by W., from the situation at noon. 
Jan. a. The wind was strong at E.N. E.; and Mr. Bass being 
apprehensive that the boat could not fetch the high main land, 
determined to steer southward for the islands, in the hope of pro- 
curing some rice from the wreck of the ship Sydney Cove, to eke 
out his provisions. The wind, however, became unfavourable to 
him, veering to E. S. E. ; so that with the sea which drove the boat 
to leeward, the course to noon was scarcely so good as S. S. W. 
The latitude observed was then 39 0 51'; and no land being in sight, 
the prospect of reaching Furneaux's Islands became very faint. At 
four o'clock, an accident caused it to be totally given up: water was 
observed to rush in fast through the boat's side, and made it abso- 
lutely necessary to go upon the other tack. The latitude to which 
Mr. Bass supposed himself arrived, was something to the south of 
40 8 ; and the weather was clear enough for land of moderate height 
to have been seen five leagues further, had there been any within 
that distance. 
The boat was then kept north-eastward, towards Furneaux's 
Land. At nine in the evening, the wind blew hard at S. E. by E., 
accompanied by a hollow, irregular sea, which put our enterprising 
discoverer and his boat's crew into the greatest danger; but the 
good qualities of his little bark, with careful steerage, carried him 
